Eight cheetahs will be brought to India from Botswana in southern Africa in two phases, including four by May, officials said in Bhopal on Friday.
A release from the Madhya Pradesh government said this information was given by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials who took part in a review meeting of the cheetah project here during the day in the presence of Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
"Efforts are on to bring more cheetahs to India from South Africa, Botswana and Kenya. Eight cheetahs will be brought to India in two phases. There is a plan to bring four cheetahs from Botswana to India by May 2025. After this, four more cheetahs will be brought. At present, a consent is being developed on an agreement between India and Kenya," the release quoted NTCA officials as saying.
In the meeting, NTCA officials informed that more than Rs 112 crore has been spent on the cheetah project in the country so far, of which 67 per cent has gone into cheetah rehabilitation in Madhya Pradesh, the release stated.
"Under Project Cheetah, cheetahs will now be relocated in a phased manner in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary as well. Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is adjacent to the border of Rajasthan, so an in-principle agreement has been reached between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to establish inter-state cheetah conservation area," the release said.
Currently, special training is being given to "cheetah mitras" in Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary to enhance their capacity, it added.
In the meeting, forest officials informed that currently there are 26 cheetahs in Kuno National Park, comprising 16 in the open forest and 10 in the rehabilitation centre (enclosures).
Officials said 24-hour tracking is in place using satellite collar IDs to monitor the cheetahs.
Female cheetahs Jwala, Asha, Gamini and Veera have given birth to cubs, they said, adding that the number of tourists in KNP has doubled in two years.
"The state government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking permission to start cheetah safari in Kuno. This permission is necessary to start safari in forest areas or eco-sensitive zone. The decision on this petition is yet to be taken," the release said.
Eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were released in KNP on September 17, 2022, marking the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the big cats.
Two cheetahs to be shifted from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar sanctuary
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday said two cheetahs will be shifted from Kuno National Park in the state's Sheopur district to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur on April 20.
At present, 16 rpt 16 cheetahs are roaming in the wild at KNP, while 10 rpt 10 are in enclosures.
In a statement on X, Yadav said the cheetah project will be expanded to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary on April 20, adding that it will prove to be an important step towards wildlife conservation.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav reviewed the cheetah project with Yadav and state government officials.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said large-scale work is being done in Madhya Pradesh for the proper development of the ecosystem.
"Our government will develop Kuno National Park as an ideal wildlife tourist destination. Not only Kuno, even Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur district will be full of cheetahs now," an official release quoted him as saying.
"With the cooperation of the Union government, cheetahs will be released in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary on April 20. Two cheetahs will be shifted from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary under tight security," the CM said.
To increase tourism in KNP rapidly, the state government is also seriously considering developing direct road and air connectivity from Gwalior to Kuno, he added.
Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav said a task force of senior officials from the Forest, Tourism, Veterinary, Panchayat and Rural Development, Tribal Affairs and Transport departments must be formed to oversee the ongoing wildlife rehabilitation projects in the state.
A contract can be signed with Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal to train 400 'cheetah mitras' from 80 villages of Sheopur district, the Union minister added.
"Work should also be done to prepare cheetah friends for nature tourism by training them for home stay," he said.
Meanwhile, officials informed that the survival rate of cheetah cubs born in India (currently only in Madhya Pradesh) is the highest in the world.
In other countries, cheetah cubs are unable to survive due to lack of adaptation to the climate, they said, adding that Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is very suitable in terms of climate and environment for the big cats.
Eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were released in KNP on September 17, 2022, marking the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the big cats.
In February 2023, 12 more cheetahs were translocated from South Africa to KNP.
At present, Kuno National Park has 26 cheetahs, including 14 India-born cubs.
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